Big or small?

[SparrowBeat]

How do you like your drum set? Lots of toms and cymbals all over the place or just the basic pop kit set up? Something in between? Is there a reason why?

I find it fun to mess around on a big kit, but I don't really need 6 or 7 toms. I end up not even playing some of the drums and cymbals, usually. I prefer a basic one up/ two down or two up/ two down. I wouldn't mind having a huge set in my basement that I never had to move, though.

[pastor_bob]

I love having a lot of sounds available on my kit, so I originally bought a 6 piece kit, 6"-10" Roto Toms, chimes, tambourine, cowbell, and 11 cymbals. It's a great kit, and I really enjoy playing it. On the other hand, there are times when that kit is too big for an area that I have to play in, so I bought a 4 piece kit and I play it with 4 cymbals. It fits perfectly in smaller spaces, and when it's all said and done, I love being able to play. I'l use either kit, and it will depend on available space, what kid of sounds I want, or how showy I want to be.

[drummer]

It depends on the gig and the mood I'm in. Sometimes I don't feel like hauling them around so I keep it simple. Other times I want to experiment and add a lot of accessories and extra cymbals, etc. Whenever I have a house gig, I use a rack and go all out because you can usually leave them set up most of the week.

[Texdrumr]

Great question. I've been playing a standard 5-piece, 2 up, 1 down set for the last two years. However, I just bought a 6-piece kit, with a rack system. I initially had it set almost in a circular configuration, or, 2 1/2 up, 1 1/2 down if that makes sense. After trying to play it that way for about a week, I put one of the toms away. For me I realized real quick that less is more. I've even thought about dropping it down to a 4-piece kit. It's almost like a smaller kit, forces creativity. Maybe that seems off, but I find my fills are more interesting with fewer drums. But...I do love having all the choices in tom sizes to build whatever kit type I want.

As for cymbals, the more the merrier. I love brass hanging all around me. Plus it helps me hide behind my kit better.

Tex

[almostmatt1]

I don't really look at it in terms of "big" or "small" unless regarding transportation of my set. I don't often have to movie my kit, and right now I've got a 6 piece (two toms, 1 floor and two snares, plus a kick) and 8 cymbals, plus a double kick. This FEELS pretty minimalistic; I've got everything I need and use everything I have, don't need much else but am planning on buying a few new goodies, and don't have anything sitting around that I don't make good use of. If I have to move my kit often in the future, I may consider stripping a few things off of it.

While I use that as my "main" kit, It's fun to strip back to a kick snare floor ride hats single pedal setup sometimes to just groove on; not for the whole "a smaller kit makes you think more" idea, but in order to condense it and get everything closer. I'd love to get my hands on a little bop kit to transport easily and groove on, just one up one down, ride, and hats.

[onegourd]

im keen on my bop kit with just the floor tom lately, hats and one crash ride. this seems to be the essentials for me. though one more tom and a crash seems to be a good idea i find its not always necessary. though im not saying more drums and bronze wouldn't be a hoot!

[wolvie56]

Right now I'm not gigging so my kit has grown quite large judging by my signature, right? I love having many different things to mess around with. Plus I like to play progressive type music, Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, Porcupine Tree, etc. Can't really accomplish this with a 2 up, 1 down type of set-up. Besides, how would I be able to play Time without my roto toms?

[groovearteest]

I play 2up/1down, always have. Plan on adding a floor tom though, maybe eventually another rack tom. There's just no need to play more than a 5 or six price for my style of music. 7 piece is the most drums neccesary.

[xweasel]

I feel my current kit, a standard 5-piece setup with two crashes, a pair of hats, a ride, a bell, and china and a splash just isn't enough.

Two up, two down, two snare drums. Two kick drums would be preferable but I can make do with one. Four crashes, two rides, two chinas, two pairs of hats, two splashes, and a bell. That would be about right for me. A reasonably large kit, but not insane. I play open-handed a lot of the time so having two crashes, a ride, a china and a pair of hats on either side of the kit would be nice.

[Drumbledore]

Whether I go for a big or small set, the one thing I always seem to have 90% of the time is a secondary hi-hat on my right side, even if I'm not playing double pedal. The reason is because if you say play an alternating 1/4 note cowbell to off beat-hihat pattern, you can set up a cool little ostinato pattern as you play back beats against it, which gives the illusion there's a percussionist playing alongside you at a gig (you can also substitute the ride bell or floor tom in place of the cowbell as well, even a tambourine attached to the secondary hi-hat sounds just as great....plus you can shake your head and say "no, I've got this covered" before that singer annoys you with their out-of-time tamborine shaking, lol.) Also, having the hi-hat to the right's great when you're playing a loud rock gig and your hand suddenly cramps as you're playing with your right hand traditionally crossed over your left....when you "open your stance" so to speak, your right hand will feel a lot of relief. I'll add that I play a bit of left hand lead too, so that helps.

Of course, I got into the right hand hi-hat when I had been playing double kick for a few years, but then when I saw how a number of Latin players would set up right hand hi-hat/cowbell/percussion patterns against other limbs, well that was the thing that made me want to go further on it. Oh and another thing is that I love splashes and effects cymbals, even if I didn't have a china, I like having at least one good splash on my kit, whether it's a simple four-piece or something way bigger. Same thing with percussion set ups, a splash is a must for me.

[NPYYZ]

I started playing on a 3 piece, kick, snare, one rack tom. 2 years later I got a five piece. Both were cheap kits my father bought for me. In 1977 I started working and making my own money so I bought my first real kit. It was a set of Fibes, fiberglass shell drums. It came with 2- 24" kicks , 12 ,14, rack toms , 16 , 18 , floor toms. I later added a 10 rack tom and a set of Gretsch 6, 8, and 10 concert toms. Since then I have always played a large kit. My style was developed on a large kit so that is what I'm comfortable playing.

I now have my large PDP X7 kit and I also have a Sonor 5 piece and a Sonor Bop kit. I enjoy the smaller kits, they are fun to play, but when it comes down to serious drumming I go with the large kit.

Also having to move my kit would never determine the size of the kit.

[truckerdrummer]

I bring a 4 piece kit to a gig... It's all I need for what I do and it pays the same no matter how many drums I set up.

[kay-gee]

I bring a 4 piece kit to a gig... It's all I need for what I do and it pays the same no matter how many drums I set up.

+1

I like the smaller sets and I'm always looking for ways to stream line it further. Right now I'm doing a weekly gig that is a boat trip away across a choppy harbour to a small island. I'm playing nothing more than a tiny kick, a snare and hats. Sounding great. Getting tons of compliments. Smaller kits work for me because I'm not a big soloist, show-off or fill drummer. I'm pretty much strictly a rhythm drummer.

all the best...

[kay-gee]

Also having to move my kit would never determine the size of the kit.

It certainly would if your getting to the gig meant a ride in a rubber dinghy or a 4 seater Cessna.

all the best...

[marko138]

Big kits are fun, but I like few toms and many cymbals.

[NPYYZ]

It certainly would if your getting to the gig meant a ride in a rubber dinghy or a 4 seater Cessna.

all the best...

Yes it would, but I never took gigs that would not allow me to use my entire kit.

[SparrowBeat]

It's almost like a smaller kit, forces creativity. Maybe that seems off, but I find my fills are more interesting with fewer drums. But...I do love having all the choices in tom sizes to build whatever kit type I want.

As for cymbals, the more the merrier. I love brass hanging all around me. Plus it helps me hide behind my kit better.

Tex

That's how I feel too, Tex. It makes me think more rather than just rolling down the toms.

[SparrowBeat]

Big kits are fun, but I like few toms and many cymbals.

That looks like a really fun kit to play. I like having a lot of cymbals, as well.

[SparrowBeat]

Right now I'm not gigging so my kit has grown quite large judging by my signature, right? I love having many different things to mess around with. Plus I like to play progressive type music, Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, Porcupine Tree, etc. Can't really accomplish this with a 2 up, 1 down type of set-up. Besides, how would I be able to play Time without my roto toms?

The very reason I have been looking into roto toms.

[markthechuck]

i've played 3 up 2 down with a rack for a while but i've gone to a 1up 1down for the last few years, i do have another 2 rack toms but i prefer the feel, look and ease of setting up.

[marko138]

That looks like a really fun kit to play. I like having a lot of cymbals, as well.

Thanks brother. It is fun. I like it a lot.

[late8]

I keep it simple at gigs and use a 5pc kit with (2x) crash cymbals and (2x) efx cymbals, hihats and ride. At practice or home I go big.

at gigs:





at home:



at practice studio:

[kay-gee]

Yes it would, but I never took gigs that would not allow me to use my entire kit.

A luxury afforded you big timers. Us little work-a-day drummers take what ever we can get, more for the love of playing than anything else I guess.

all the best...

[almostmatt1]

Never get tired of looking at your kits, Late8!

[Northern Redneck]

Big kits are fun, I'll have another someday. But I really like the timeless look of a simple little 5pc.